The Lily Among Thorns

 

 

How strange are the words "as the Lily among Thorns."

What a striking contrast is found between the "Lily" that excels in beauty and usefulness and the noxious, hurtful, injurious, useless, and worthless "Thorns!"

Yet the Bridegroom declares of His love - "As the Lily among Thorns."

 

 

Song of Solomon 2:1-2 says - "I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valleys. As the Lily among Thorns, so is My love among the daughters."

                                                                                                                                     

Some Bible scholars believe that the "Rose of Sharon" was the mountain tulip; others believe it was the bulbous crocus or white narcissus. It was considered the chief of flowers and was greatly noted for its fragrance.

It describes the Lord Jesus as He appears to His followers.

He is the "chiefest among ten-thousand"  (Song of Solomon 5:10).

He is greatly worshipped and extolled by His followers for His beauty, fragrance, and sweetness.

 

Fellowship with Jesus brings beauty or holiness of character,

fragrance or the incense of prayer and supplication,

and sweetness or the sweet savor of the knowledge of Christ.

 

Hence, He is the beautiful "Rose of Sharon" to all those Who adore and love Him.

"Sharon" refers to a very fertile and fruitful area between the mountains of central Palestine and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the Mediterranean coastal plain between Joppa and Caesarea. In the springtime, it is carpeted with a profusion of wild flowers, one of which is the "Rose."

As already mentioned, the Lord Jesus is called the "Rose of Sharon." As with the "Rose" in the fertile plains of "Sharon," Jesus can be found in the fertile soil of the "good ground" of the heart of every believer. Here is where the seed of the Word of God brings forth fruit an hundredfold.

Because it spreads so abundantly and freely throughout the open plain, the "Rose of Sharon" is oftentimes translated as "the rose of the field." Because of His accessibility to all of mankind, the Lord Jesus also can be typified as our "Rose of the field."

 

John 4:42 calls Him "the Saviour of the world."

1 John 4:14 tells us that "the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world."

He lived among men - common men - and did not cater to anyone. He reached out to all.

Besides being called "The Rose of Sharon," the Lord Jesus is likewise praised and worshipped as "The Lily of the Valleys." 

The "Lily of the Valleys" was the hyacinth with its white or rosy-purple blossoms, measuring up to 30 cm. It grew in the open country - the lowlands.

 

Jesus, like the "Lily of the Valleys," can be found among the lowly in the low and humble places.

Isaiah 57:15 tells us that He dwells "...with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit."

Isaiah 66:2 tells us that He takes note of only one kind - "...But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit..."

The valleys also typified the deep and difficult places. Hence, the Lord - as the "Lily of the Valleys" - is generally seen and manifested so emphatically in those difficult situations and circumstances found in the believer's walk with Him.

After the Bridegroom's declaration of Who He is to His maiden in verse 1 of Song of Solomon, He then goes on to say in Verse 2 who she is - "As the Lily among Thorns, so is My love among the daughters." 

Notice that He says "as the Lily."

She is not the "Lily," but, in all instances, is to resemble it(Him).

 

How true it is in the relationship between Jesus and His Church!

The Church is not the "Lily." Christ is.

However, she is to be "as the Lily" in all respects.

How strange are the words "as the Lily among Thorns."

What a striking contrast is found between the "Lily" that excels in beauty and usefulness and the noxious, hurtful, injurious, useless, and worthless "Thorns!"

Yet the Bridegroom declares of His love - "As the Lily among Thorns." 

 

This is a realistic picture of a Christian in the midst of a wicked world. The believer, as the pure white "Lily," is exposed to the wickedness, corruption, evil, hardships, and troubles typified by the "Thorns." Oftentimes, the Church, "as the Lily," is scratched and torn by the "Thorns" - hardships and troubles of this life.

Even though she may be "among Thorns," she must never become a "Thorn."

She must always keep her identity - her innocency, purity, and delicateness "as the Lily."

She receives her sustenance from the Heavenly Bridegroom - Jesus.

Song of Solomon 2:16 tells us - "...He feedeth among the Lilies."

In other words, He feeds His children; He meets their every need.

Hosea 14:5 also tells us that He sustains His people - "I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the Lily..."

"As the Lily among Thorns" - The Church is sent forth as "sheep in the midst of wolves"(Matthew 10:16).

She is called by God to be "blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation..."(Philppians 2:15).

She is exhorted to have her conduct honorable before the heathen(1 Peter 2:12), and by her good deeds to "...put to silence the ignorance of foolish men"(1 Peter 2:15).

We must keep ourselves unspotted from the world(James 1:27).

We are "as the Lily among Thorns."

We are not the "Lily" and never will be.

We are always and evermore to strive to be "as the Lily."

And as we are conformed to His likeness, the King shall greatly desire our beauty(Psalm 45:11) and our company.

We will be a sweet and beautiful fragrance unto Him. 

May God Bless His Word.

Connie